The weekly messenger. [volume] (St. Martinsville [i.e. St. Martinville] La.) 1886-1948, 1887-02-19
I three years old there came snake into

EOPu. n Snakcf ~ WHOlc Hest OF them!
1t seemed as if every girl in the whole
village had Just found out what rare
and charming person | was, and h,w
pleasant it was late afternoons up where
l lived and how nice it was to run up
evenings to see me. And sometimes
Dennis would have to go home with
them then; and sometimes he wouldn't,
but Just went out the other way, and
never came home till they'd gone; and
somehow one thing was almost az un-
pleasant as the other, and couldn't say
why it worried mel only knew it did.
And used to take the boy and 20 of
by myself anil cry. For, of course,
sooner or LATER Dennis would marry some
one of those terrible girls; he couldn't
help himself; they wouldn't let him help
himself; it would come about after
awhile as naturally as water runs down
hill.
And then there would be a stepmother
for my boy, and Heaven alone knew what
would become of him. And what would
become of me2
And by this gave out completely.
should have to go away. l should SEQ
Dennis no more. No more of that dear
voice and presence, and CHEEKY way of
his. And all at once it came over me
in flash o. horror and shame what was
the matter with me; and then / felt that,
happen what would, / really must 60
away.
But couldn't 60 and leave the boy;
and there l was. And grew pale and
could eat nothing, and was stiller and
stiller every day. could as soon have
talked HEIR W as have smiled.
But one day I had the little fellow
asleep in his morning nap, which he had
not quite outgrown, although it was get
ting to be short and iitful; and, thinking
that Dennis was there to see, or knowing
he was, and thinking nothing, / went
out by myself, down the lie d by the
railroad cut; for there was an apple tree
| there where / gathered the wind falls,
and liked, too, to sit OF the bank and
see the train dash by in the C It. / had
my apron full of apples, and, as came
back, stood lettering moment or so
on the steep bank, hearing train COM
ing. and liking all the rush and roar and
rattle that seemed to snat h me out OF
myself, as if it told of way 70 some
where, sore distant region where my
trouble might he forgotten; and all at
once another sound from that Of the a.
preaching train caught my ear, q glad,
gay shouting and CRYING. turned and
looked to r glit and left, little confused,
for it was the childs voice. And,
turning back suddenly, saw him; and
there. at the foot of the bank,
in the very center of the railway track,
stood the little fellow, who had
crept from his bed and ran after me and
been begu led down the slOre by some
blossoms that he saw there-thers, in the
centre OF the track lie stood, waving his
little hands and shouting to the coming
train. There was not half minute, It
seemed, but in less time l was down
there. and was just grasping the child
when my foot slipped, and l fell with
him in my arms, and the thunder was IN
my ears and the hot breath in my face,
and knew that was the end.
No; it was only the beginning Of the
end. When I knew anything more,
was lying on the bank in Dennis's arms,
for he had come bounding after the boy.
and had snatched us both out of danger
as the engine, like wild dragon, whizzed
and roared and Numbered by. and he was
holding me as if he would never let me
go.
And he never has let me go ooh" no
cried, Il found out in that second what
life would be to me without You, dear;
something conldn't bear day." And l
only chung to him. too ashamed TO let
him see my face. too tired and weak to
! lift il. And so it is l that am the second
wife, and the boys mother And i sup
noaa overvhody vas surnraea. but no